This invention relates to a method and system for removing heat from electronic data servers or similar equipment and, more particularly, to a system having a closed cabinet for supporting electronic assemblies, a plinth for providing a cooling airflow to the interior of the cabinet, and distribution devices for distributing the cooling airflow within the cabinet.
The advent of high-density electronic data servers has led to the mounting of as many as forty-two (42) servers in one cabinet, typically seven (7) feet high. This in turn has greatly increased the total heat load in such cabinets, reaching as high as ten (10) kilowatts, with attendant problems of maintaining acceptable working temperatures inside the cabinet. Without acceptable working temperatures, the life and reliability of the servers are reduced. Since these servers commonly handle large amounts of sensitive and valuable data, uncontrolled working temperatures are not acceptable, and steps to maintain the servers at a relatively cool and steady temperature are required.
One method of cooling server cabinets is to install the cabinets in rooms that are air conditioned and/or supplied with ducted, cooled air. There are, however, several disadvantages to this method. To begin with, energy is wasted since the whole room and the contents of the room must be cooled. In addition, because the cabinets are mounted in rows, the heated air which exits one row of cabinets adversely affects the temperature of adjacent rows of cabinets. Furthermore, upgrading existing installations by the addition of cabinets filled with high density servers may not be possible since the cooling capacity of existing room air-conditioning units may be exceeded. Also, with the shortages of available electrical power, the demand of new room air-conditioner systems may not be met by the public utility. Finally, floor-standing heat management units are sometimes provided in such rooms for cooling the air delivered to the cabinets. Such units, however, occupy valuable floor area that could be more profitably occupied by a server cabinet.
What is still desired, therefore, is a new and improved system for removing heat from a plurality of electronic assemblies, such as data servers. Such a system will preferably use available power more efficiently to cool the electronic devices. In particular, such a system will preferably cool only the interior portions of the cabinet, as opposed to entire rooms. In addition, such a system will preferably cool the interior portions of the cabinet independently of adjacent server cabinets or rows of server cabinets. Furthermore, such a system will preferably utilize floor area more efficiently, and more easily accommodate the upgrading of existing installations by the addition of server cabinets.
The present invention provides a new and improved system for removing heat from a plurality of electronic assemblies, such as data servers. The system includes at least one cabinet having brackets for supporting electronic assemblies in a vertical array between a first vertical airflow path and a second vertical air flow path of the cabinet.
The system also includes at least one plinth underlying the cabinet and having an input port receiving air from the first vertical airflow path of the cabinet, an output port transmitting air from the plinth to the second vertical air flow path of the cabinet, and a plinth air flow path extending between the input and the output ports. At least one heat exchanger is positioned in the plinth air flow path for transferring heat to a heat exchange medium passing through the heat exchanger, and at least one fan assembly is disposed along the plinth air flow path for driving air through the heat exchanger.
The system further includes at least one air flow distribution device establishing a predetermined flow rate distribution through electronic assemblies supported by the brackets. The air flow distribution device ensures that vertically arrayed electronic devices supported in the cabinet receive a predetermined portion of cooling airflow (e.g., equal) from the plinth.
According to one aspect of the invention, the distribution device is adapted such that the predetermined flow rate distribution is substantially the same (such that each vertically arrayed electronic device receives an equal portion of cooling airflow).
According to another aspect, the distribution device is positioned between the second air flow path of the cabinet and the brackets. According to an additional aspect, the distribution device is substantially planar and extends vertically, and includes a plurality of apertures in a predetermined pattern of sizes and positions. According to a further aspect, the apertures of the distribution device are equally sized and provided in horizontal rows corresponding to the brackets, and the horizontal rows closest to the plinth include fewer apertures than the horizontal rows furthest from the plinth.
The present invention provides another air flow distribution device for establishing a predetermined flow rate distribution through electronic devices supported within the cabinet. This device is positioned in one of the airflow paths of the cabinet and extends vertically and laterally between a lower end nearer the plinth and an upper end further from the plinth, such that the upper end of the distribution device is closer to the brackets than the lower end.
The foregoing and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.